Business
IFAD, VCDP Harp On Rice threshing Machines To Boost Harvest
The Niger State Programme Coordinator for the Federal Government’s International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), and Value Chain Development Programme (VCDP), have expressed concern over the low usage of rice threshing machines by farmers in parts of the Nigeria state.
These machines were provided as part of an initiative to help increase harvest yields and reduce post-harvest losses.
In a statement during a training session for rice farmers in Majingari, Katcha Local Government Area, the Value Chain Agricultural Production Officer, Dr. Lawal Mohammed, said adequate use of the machine would help in food security.
According to Dr. Mohammed, the IFAD programme distributed threshing machines to rice farmers in the eight participating local government areas of Niger State to help reduce losses during harvest.
Many farmers have, however, abandoned the machines in favor of traditional threshing methods, thereby missing out on the benefits of increased efficiency and reduced losses.
The Programme Coordinator lamented that due to the underutilisation of such equipment, Nigeria faces a significant challenge, with up to 40 percent of post-harvest losses in the agricultural sector.
During the training, Hajiya Isah emphasised the importance of adopting best agronomy practices, including the proper use of threshing machines, to minimize losses and improve production, particularly for dry season farming.
A rice farmer from Shiroro Local Government, Mustapha P. Gaiya, reiterated that the thresher machine boosted his harvest and income, adding the benefits of the programme of the programme cannot be over emphasised.
He noted that while some farmers consider the thresher to be slow, he finds it faster and more efficient, allowing him to thresh over 40 bags of rice in a day.
The Lead Consultant for the IFAD programme in Niger State, Prof. Abigail Jirgi, also emphasized the need for farmers to follow best practices throughout the entire rice production process, from harvest to storage, in order to reduce losses.
She urged farmers not to burn rice crop residues, as it depletes soil nutrients, but to allow the residues to decompose and enrich the soil.
Prof. Jirgi also called on community leaders to encourage farmers to adopt these best practices for improved yields and economic growth.
The Majingari community, represented by Mohammed Idris Ndaloke, expressed gratitude for the training and pledged to support the effort to educate local farmers on improving their harvest practices and overall economic prosperity.